Volunteers are invited to help protect the Hawaiian ecosystem from invasive, non-native plant species by volunteering for “Stewardship at the Summit” programs in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. ADVERTISING Volunteers are invited to help protect the Hawaiian ecosystem from invasive, non-native
Volunteers are invited to help protect the Hawaiian ecosystem from invasive, non-native plant species by volunteering for “Stewardship at the Summit” programs in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Stewardship at the Summit begins at 9 a.m. and ends at noon. The dates from April through June are: Saturday and April 12, 18, 23 and 30; May 9, 17, 23 and 30; and June 6, 13, 20 and 27.
Meet project leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kilauea Visitor Center at 9 a.m. on any of the above dates. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants.
Bring a hat, rain gear, day pack, snacks and water. Gloves and tools are provided.
No advance registration is required, and there is no cost to participate, but park entrance fees apply.
“We welcome first-time visitors, repeat volunteers and residents alike. It’s always a fun and rewarding way to spend a few hours” said volunteer project leader Paul Field. “We supply the tools, you supply the energy to help keep the beautiful Hawaiian rainforest intact and thriving.”
Within the last year, volunteers restored more than 15 acres of native rainforest within the national park. Countless Himalayan ginger, faya, strawberry guava and other invasive, non-native plants near the summit of Kilauea were removed. In their place, ‘ama‘u and hapu‘u tree ferns re-emerged, and pa‘iniu, kawa‘u and other important native plants are returning to the stewardship plots.
